South African COVID-19 Variant
COVID-19

South African COVID-19 variant invades country!

Mar 2, 2021, 5:23 AM
OpinYon News Team

OpinYon News Team

News Reporter

The South African variant of COVID-19, which scientists believe is "more infectious" and can affect the effectiveness of current vaccines, has entered the Philippines.

New variant is "more infectious" and makes vaccines less effective, according to preliminary studies

THE South African variant of COVID-19 has entered the Philippines, the Department of health (DOH) said Tuesday.

In a statement, the DOH said the University of the Philippines - Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC) has detected six cases of the B.1.351 variant of the virus, which originated in South Africa.

Of the six South African variant cases, three are local, two are returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs), while the location of one case is still being verified.

All three of the local cases came from Pasay City, where several barangays are now on lockdown after a spike in COVID-19 cases.

Preliminary studies have shown that the South African variant is more infectious than earlier strains as it binds more readily to human cells.

Pfizer said its COVID-19 vaccine works against the United Kingdom and South African variants but some studies suggest that the South African variant makes vaccines less effective.

However, DOH said it has immediately taken steps to stop the spread of the new variant.

“Both have higher transmissibility. The B.1.1.7 or the UK variant and 'yung ating South African variant (and the South African variant),” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a briefing.

“Pero itong South African variant meron siyang isang component or isang mutation na nakaka-apekto sa vaccine efficacy,” Vergeire said.

“Kaya ang gusto natin, as much as possible, fast containment tayo ng variant na ito so that we can prevent it to further spread,” she added.

Vergeire said they are still validating if there is also local transmission of the South African variant in Pasay because of a possible link of two cases.

She said they will discuss if new protocols will be put in place for travelers although the current guidelines were already implemented because of the UK variant. (ONT)


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